Planta Med 2009; 75 - PB23
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1234435

Ethnobotanical use of wild and cultivated plants in traditional medicine of Middle Bosnia and Herzegovina

B Šarić-Kundalić 1, V Klatte-Asselmeyer 1, C Dobeš 1, J Saukel 1
  • 1Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria

In the years 2006–2009 a research was carried out concerning ethnobotanical use of wild and cultivated plants on the territory of middle Bosnia and Herzegovina (W. Balkan Peninsula; SE Europe), a region characterized by great plant diversity with about 3.572 different species of vascular plants [1]. This area is less frequently studied from the perspective of plant usage in traditional medicine. The purpose of this study was the collection of any information about usage of wild and cultivated plants in human therapy, especially verbally delivered prescriptions. To all used plants corresponding material for investigations and documentation was collected and deposited in the herbarium of the Department of Pharmacognosy, Vienna. For the further analyses and comparisons, it was necessary to insert all collected data in the so called „VOLKSMED“ data base of Austrian prescriptions [2].

In total, 27 different places were visited, 33 different persons questioned, approx. 140 different wild and cultivated species and 548 different preparations for the use in human therapy were recorded. Among those wild plants, different species of the genera Hypericum, Thymus, Achillea, Teucrium, Mentha and Urtica were particularly highly recommended by the majority of the informants as being beneficial for all ailments. The most frequent indications were urinary-genital ailments (18,8%), gastrointestinal tract disorders (17,3%), cardio-vascular (15,9%) and respiratory tract problems (15,7%). Not so frequent were indications like disorders of nervous system (7,8%), skin ailments (6,4%) and rheumatism (6%).

References: [1] Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2006) Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Mushrooms, Wild Forests Products. MAG Plus. Sarajevo.

[2] Saukel, J. et al. (2006) Pflanzen in der österreichischen Volksmedizin. Die „VOLKSMED-DATENBANK". Vortrag bei der 19. Wissenschaftlichen Tagung der Österreichischen Pharmazeutischen Gesellschaft. Innsbruck.